New Mexico Gov. Will Not Fight Marriage Equality In Her State

Despite a vocal faction that wants to enshrine bigotry into the New Mexico constitution by overturning marriage equality in the state, Gov. Susana Martinez has decided not to fight alongside the homophobes.

Martinez said several times last summer — when several county clerks across the state began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples — that she believed state voters should decide the issue by way of a ballot question on whether to amend the state constitution. “I think what I said before was that yes, the people should have decided on it, but the Supreme Court has decided,” the governor said Monday when asked by a reporter about the issue. “And it’s now the law of the land.” Asked whether that meant she wouldn’t push for the Legislature to pass a measure like Sen. Bill Sharer’s Senate Joint Resolution 6, Martinez responded, “It’s the law of the land. The Supreme Court has spoken.” Sharer’s measure would put on the general election ballot a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman. Proposed amendments to the constitution aren’t subject to a governor’s veto.

Unfortunately for New Mexico, the anti-civil rights train will continue to attempt to chug along with or without Gov. Martinez's participation.